Crawford splits president and CEO roles in leadership shake-up

Crawford & Company, a provider of claims management solutions to carriers, brokers and corporates, has appointed a new chief executive officer and president, splitting up the two roles held by Harsha Agadi for the last five years.

Agadi will be transitioning from his role of CEO to return back to the board as a director. He has served on the board of directors since 2010.

Rohit Verma, the company’s current global chief operating officer, will step into the role of CEO, while Joseph Blanco, the company’s current general counsel, will step into the role of president.

Verma takes over as the CEO after being with the company for almost three years. He joined Crawford & Company in July 2017 from Zurich Insurance.

Blanco takes over as president after being with the company for almost four years. In his role, Blanco will report to Verma and be responsible for all shared services functions in the company, with the exception of the CFO function which will continue to report to the CEO. Prior to Crawford & Company, he was the managing partner of the Atlanta office of the international law firm Dentons.

Charlie Ogburn, non-executive chairman of the board, said: “I am very pleased with this planned and orderly transition of leadership at Crawford & Company as we turn the page into the next chapter for the company.”

Agadi added: “After approximately ten years on the Crawford board, I continue to be truly excited about the company and its future as the next generation of leadership with seasoned and client-centric leaders like Rohit and Joseph take over Crawford & Company. I am humbled by the board’s invitation to continue to serve on the board of the company.”

Verma commented: “I feel privileged to be given an opportunity to lead this iconic organization. Harsha has created a unique platform for us to continue building on his strategic vision and customer led approach to deliver on our mission globally. I want to thank Harsha for his leadership, mentorship and guidance.”

Blanco commented: “I am honored to serve in this leadership role partnering with Rohit to execute on our mission of restoring and enhancing lives, business and communities. I look forward to working with our global team to utilize our eight-decades of experience and capabilities to deliver on our mission in evolving and creative ways.”